354 JAMES WATT. 



builder, and a merchant ; which unfortunately, about the 

 close of his life, did not prevent certain commercial spec 

 ulations from depriving him of a portion of the creditable 

 fortune that he had gained before. He died at the age 

 of eighty-four, in 1782. 



James Watt, the subject of this essay, was born with 

 a very delicate constitution. His mother, whose maiden 

 name was Muirhead, gave him his first instruction in 

 reading. He learned writing and ciphering from his 

 father. He also attended the Grammar School of Gree- 

 nock; and thus these humble Scotch seminaries are 

 entitled, with just pride, to enroll the name of this cele 

 brated engineer among the pupils that they have formed ; 

 as the College of La Fleche boasted of Descartes, as the 

 University of Cambridge still cites Newton. 



To be correct, I must add that frequent indispositions 

 prevented young Watt from punctually attending the 

 public school at Greenock ; that during a great portion 

 of the year he was confined to his room, and there 

 devoted himself to study, without any out-door help. 

 As is frequently the case with high intellectual faculties 

 destined to yield great results, they began to develop 

 themselves in retirement and solitude. 



Watts was too sickly for his parents to think of urging 

 him to assiduous occupation. They even left his amuse 

 ments to his free choice. We shall see whether he 

 abused this freedom. 



A friend of Mr. Watt s one day found little James 

 lying on the floor, and with a piece of chalk drawing all 

 sorts of intersecting lines ; whereupon he exclaimed 

 &quot; Why do you allow that child to waste his tim6 send 

 him to the public school ! &quot; Mr. Watt answered : &quot; You 

 might have spared us this hasty judgment ; before con- 



